Connecticut
(BPRW) CONNECTICUT AWARDED MLS NEXT PRO EXPANSION TEAM | Black PR Wire, Inc.
(BPRW) CONNECTICUT AWARDED MLS NEXT PRO EXPANSION TEAM
André Swanston, Bronx-born Alpha Phi Alpha brother, is principal owner
(Black PR Wire) BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – In a groundbreaking moment for the soccer fans of Connecticut, MLS NEXT Pro has awarded Connecticut Sports Group (CTSG) the fifth independent MLS NEXT Pro expansion team – Connecticut United Football Club (CT United FC). CT United FC is set to join MLS NEXT Pro which includes 27 MLS owned clubs and four recently announced independent clubs. The team plans to play in a new waterfront soccer stadium in Connecticut’s largest city, Bridgeport.
“As CT United FC embarks on its MLS NEXT Pro journey, I want to extend deep gratitude to the incredible fans, community leaders, and government officials who have embraced our vision. I am confident that, united, Connecticut can compete against anyone,” said André Swanston, Founding Partner of CTSG. “We are committed to building the infrastructure – from a free youth academy to a state-of-the-art stadium – needed to propel Connecticut to the highest levels of soccer.”
Connecticut holds the distinction as the largest media market in the country without a sports team in MLS, NFL, NBA, MLB or NHL. Geographically positioned at the convergence of the NYC tristate and New England, Connecticut has firmly established itself as a vibrant hub for soccer. Connecticut is consistently among the leading markets for soccer TV viewership, with one of the highest engagement levels of any market in America without an MLS team. Connecticut fans, who already spend $1.1 billion a year on sports tickets, merchandise and subscriptions (13% more per fan than the average American) will soon have a team of their own.
“André has a proven track record of building transformational companies and valuing community development,” said Charles Altchek, President of MLS NEXT Pro. “His leadership, entrepreneurship, and determination will be key to the success of the Club, and we are thrilled to partner with André, his wife Michelle, and the CTSG team. Today’s announcement marks a historic milestone as André takes the helm as one of our youngest club owners, breaking barriers as one of only a few Black principal owners in US sports history.”
The City of Bridgeport’s Planning and Zoning Commission granted Connecticut Sports Group unanimous approval to develop a waterfront soccer stadium and mixed-use destination. This transformative project encompasses a mix of residences, retail and dining space, community greens, a river walk, and a hotel. The revitalization of this dormant property represents a significant investment in economic development for Bridgeport and the entire state. According to the Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis at the University of Connecticut, this development is expected to generate $4 billion in economic impact over the next 25 years, and nearly $1 billion in additional state and local tax revenue. Average annual employment will increase by over 1,000 full-time jobs over this period.
“Bridgeport is in the midst of a renaissance, rebranding from an industrial city to now the capital of arts and entertainment of Connecticut. I am proud to announce that MLS NEXT Pro will join that landscape in providing entertainment opportunities for Bridgeport residents and the region at large. I also applaud the major investments that Mr. Swanston has made in Bridgeport and his vision to bring professional soccer to our city,” stated Mayor Joseph Ganim.
“The arrival of an MLS NEXT Pro expansion team to Connecticut will be a tremendous opportunity to foster talent, invigorate the economy, and showcase our state on the national stage,” said Rep. Jim Himes. “Local sports have a unique ability to bring together a community, and I look forward to cheering on CT United FC as they represent the great state of Connecticut!”
“Bringing an MLS NEXT Pro expansion team to the state of Connecticut is a tremendous opportunity to ignite the spirit of our communities, foster local talent, and showcase our state on the national stage,” said Governor Ned Lamont. “This exciting endeavor will invigorate our economy, inspire our youth, and unite our diverse soccer loving population.”
ABOUT CONNECTICUT UNITED FC
Founded in 2024 and owned by Connecticut Sports Group, Connecticut United Football Club (CT United FC) is the fifth independent professional men’s soccer club in MLS NEXT Pro. CT United FC is targeting a 2025 launch and will call a new state-of-the-art stadium in Bridgeport its home. CT United FC embodies the indomitable spirit of our state, carrying forward Connecticut’s rich tradition of sports excellence. For updates and more information, visit www.ctunited.com or follow us on social media: @ctunited on X and TikTok, @ctutdfc on Instagram.
ABOUT CONNECTICUT SPORTS GROUP
Connecticut Sports Group’s (CTSG) vision is to create unforgettable experiences that inspire communities. We will own and operate professional sports franchises and state-of-the-art venues, utilizing cutting-edge technology and data to deliver superior service. Through our innovative approach and unwavering commitment to excellence, we aim to revolutionize the sports and entertainment industry and bring diverse communities together.
ABOUT MLS NEXT PRO
Launched in 2022 by Major League Soccer, MLS NEXT Pro is a professional men’s soccer league in the United States and Canada that completes the pro player pathway from MLS NEXT to MLS first teams. MLS NEXT Pro continues to grow the game through innovation and diversity, bringing professional soccer to new communities and creating opportunities both on and off the field. MLS NEXT Pro will celebrate its third season in 2024 with 29 teams, 27 MLS-affiliated and two independent, Carolina Core FC and Chattanooga FC. Additional MLS-affiliated and independent clubs will join in the years ahead, including Cleveland, Jacksonville Armada FC and Connecticut United FC. The majority of MLS NEXT Pro’s matches are broadcast on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV as part of the groundbreaking partnership between Apple and MLS. For more information about MLS NEXT Pro, visit mlsnextpro.com.
Photo: From left to right – Brook Gardiner, SVP and General Counsel, MLS NEXT Pro, Sola Winley, EVP Office of the Commissioner and Chief DEI Officer, André Swanston, Founding Partner, Connecticut Sports Group, Michelle Swanston, Partner, Connecticut Sports Group, Ali Curtis, SVP of Competition & Operations, MLS NEXT Pro, Charles Altchek, President, MLS NEXT Pro & EVP, MLS
The content and opinions expressed within this press release are those of the author(s) and/or represented companies, and are not necessarily shared by Black PR Wire. The author(s) and/or represented companies are solely responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the content of this Press release. Black PR Wire reserves the right to reject a press release if, in the view of Black PR Wire, the content of the release is unsuitable for distribution.
LYME — A body was recovered from the Connecticut River on Saturday, according to officials from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
At about 1 p.m., a vessel on the river reported seeing a body in the area of the Chester-Lyme Ferry, DEEP said.
The Environmental Conservation Police, along with the Connecticut State Police Major Crimes Unit and Lyme and Cheshire fire departments, responded to the area and recovered the body, DEEP said. The body has been sent to the state chief medical examiner, DEEP said.
Bill Flood, a media relations manager for DEEP, said the body was identified as a male and appeared to have been in the water for an extended period of time.
The medical examiner will determine the manner of death and EnCon is investigating, Flood said, noting there is no believed threat to the public.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Even as a born-and-raised New Yorker, I have a relatively open mind when it comes to pizza. When I’m out on the road, I’ll eat at any pizzeria as long as I can see the oven from the counter and buy pizza by the slice. However, the idea of any place outside the Big Apple proclaiming itself “the Pizza Capital of the United States” is just sacrilege. Connecticut doubled down on its ludicrous claim last weekend by approving the rollout of a special “Pizza State” license plate. This is the worst affront to the craft since Chicagoans started shilling their crust-bowl casserole as pizza.
Connecticut Foodshare
Let’s actually take a look at this license plate. One peek, we all know the rules. “The Pizza State” plate features a similar blue-to-white gradient as on the standard Connecticut license plate. The aforementioned self-proclaimed moniker replaces the state’s official nickname, “The Constitution State,” beneath the plate number. To the right of the number is an image of a pizza slice ripped straight from Microsoft’s ClipArt library. It’s a flat image that looks nothing like what’s served in New Haven. Connecticut drivers will be able to pick up a “Pizza State” plate for $65.
This is a pizza war for good
The only undisputedly good aspect of the “Pizza State” license plate is that its introduction will help feed Connecticut’s hungry. According to CT Insider, the $28.6 billion budget bill approved by the Connecticut General Assembly last weekend, which authorized the plate, also directly appropriated funding to Connecticut Foodshare. The sitewide food bank will also receive $50 from each $65 license plate fee, as it continues to provide millions of free meals to food-insecure people.
Back to the pizza debate at the heart of the matter. Governor Ned Lamont declared Connecticut the country’s pizza capital back in 2024 as part of a marketing campaign to promote the state. That declaration could have grounds for war in a different century, but individual states apparently don’t fight wars against each other anymore. Connecticut had better go back to being a UConn Husky-obsessed suburb before New York makes Greenwich the next Toledo.
Connecticut
Suspect in preppy booze-fueled Connecticut party stabbing death asks court to drop charges: ‘Double jeopardy’
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The attorney for a Connecticut man who was recently acquitted of first-degree murder charges stemming from a booze-fueled brawl between prep school students is making another move to ensure his client’s freedom.
Last July, a jury found Raul Valle, now 19, not guilty of murder and intentional manslaughter in the May 14, 2022 stabbing death of James “Jimmy” McGrath. Valle was 16 at the time of the incident, and McGrath was 17.
The jury was deadlocked on lesser charges of reckless manslaughter in that trial, leading to a partial mistrial.
Valle attended St. Joseph High School in Trumbull, near Fairfield Prep, where McGrath was a junior and star lacrosse player. Prior to the stabbing that evening, both had been at a house party that involved underage drinking and a fight.
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Split image of Jimmy McGrath showing him in a collared shirt and tie and in his Fairfield College Preparatory School lacrosse uniform. (The McGrath Family)
After heading to another location to continue partying, tempers flared again and about 25 people engaged in another brawl on the front lawn of the second home, whose owners were present at the time, witnesses told police. It was during that fight that the stabbing death occurred.
Valle admitted to the stabbing, but said it was committed in self-defense and in defense of a friend.
The day after Valle’s July 9, 2025, acquittal on the most serious charges, the state filed new reckless manslaughter and reckless assault charges.
Raul Valle speaks during his second day of testimony at his murder trial in state Superior Court in Milford, Conn., on July 1, 2025. (Ned Gerard/Connecticut Post)
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Now, Valle’s attorney, Darnell Crosland, has filed a motion claiming that the reckless manslaughter and reckless assault charges constitute double jeopardy, which is unconstitutional, according to The Connecticut Post.
Crosland’s motion says the only explanation for the initial jury’s decision to acquit on the first-degree murder charge was that his client acted in self-defense.
“No other theory explains the acquittals,” he wrote in the motion.
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Defense attorney Kevin Smith delivers his closing arguments to the jury during Raul Valle’s murder trial in state Superior Court in Milford, Conn., on July 3, 2025. (Ned Gerard/Connecticut Post)
“The jury has spoken,” he continued. “The law is clear. The court must dismiss these charges with prejudice — immediately.”
The Connecticut Post reported that in an interview after Valle’s acquittal, the jury foreperson said self-defense was not discussed.
In their own filing, prosecutors disagreed with Crosland’s reasoning, according to the report.
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They described self-defense as a “justification defense,” not one that is central to the elements of the charges Valle still faces, and thus, cannot be used as an argument to have the current charges dismissed.
Kevin McGrath, father of slain prep school lacrosse player Jimmy McGrath, speaks to reporters outside the state Superior Court in Milford, Connecticut, following Raul Valle’s acquittal on July 9, 2025. He is accompanied by family attorney Michael Rosnick. (Fox News)
“The fact that the jury acquitted the defendant of murder, intentional manslaughter and intentional assaults, but could not reach a unanimous verdict as to the reckless charges, demonstrates only that the jury must have reached the conclusion that the defendant lacked the specific intent to either kill or to cause serious physical injury,” the filing reportedly said.
McGrath’s family was shocked by the results of the 2025 trial.
“I’m astonished at the results, but, you know, it’s due process,” a stoic Kevin McGrath said outside the state Superior Court in Milford, Connecticut, later describing his son as a “wonderful person.”
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“He’s entitled to it,” said McGrath. “And at the end of the day, the jury made their verdict. I’m not sure if, you know, they were in the same courtroom as we all were together, but that’s the verdict. And we’ll live with it.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Crosland for comment.
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